SPANISH LANGUAGE TRAINING FOR POLICEMEN - LESSONS LEARNED DURING A FIRST ATTEMPT

• NCJ Number: 13367
• Author(s): S GONZALES
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 24 pages
• Grant Number(s): 73-NI-06-0002
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE REPORT CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF A SPANISH LANGUAGE TRAINING PROJECT FOR CADETS AND OFFICERS IN THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SIMILAR PROJECTS.

Abstract

THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT WAS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN POLICEMEN AND NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS. CADETS WERE REQUIRED TO TAKE AN INTRODUCTORY CLASS WHILE OFFICERS VOLUNTEERED FOR BOTH THE INTRODUCTORY CLASS AND THE INTERMEDIATE CLASS. A TOTAL OF 33 CADETS AND 65 OFFICERS ENROLLED. THIRTEEN CADETS AND 35 OFFICERS FINISHED THE COURSE WITH A GRADE OF C OR BETTER. IN A QUESTIONNAIRE COMPLETED BY FEWER THAN HALF OF THOSE WHO FINISHED THE COURSE, 13 SAID THEY HAD LEARNED TO CONVERSE IN SPANISH, AND 10 SAID THEY HAD NOT. TWENTY OF THOSE RESPONDING SAID THE COURSE WOULD ASSIST THEM IN FUTURE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)